DPR seals 24 petroleum stations in Jos

Department of Petroleum Resource, DPR, in Jos, Plateau State, has sealed 23 fuel stations for various offences, and advised the public to stop patronising illegal fuel station as well as road side fuel sellers.
The sealing of the fuel stations was carried out during an unscheduled visit to all fuel stations in the city led by the state operation controller, Mr. Caesar Douglas.
Addressing newsmen after the operation, Mr. Douglas pointed out that the department had carried out its statutory duty by monitoring sales of fuel in the state.
According to him, “Our outing today is so revealing. There are some marketers doing illegal business with the PMS; they have been cheating innocent Nigerians; they have been dousing the general public and we had no option than to seal their stations.
“We have sealed a total of 24 fuel stations in the state, out of which there are 16 licenced marketers and seven unlicenced marketers. They will be penalised for hoarding fuel, selling above government price, diversion of their allocations and operating without licence.
“We sealed 11 stations for selling above government price; we sealed five for diversion of fuel, seven for selling without licence, and one for hoarding fuel.”
He added: “All these various offences go with its respective penalties. For those selling above government price, your station will be sealed for a month; you will pay a fine of N100,000. For those caught hoarding the product, we consider that as economic sabotage and goes with severe punishment. You will pay a fine of N2 million, the station will be sealed for two months.”
Mr. Douglas assured the general public that the exercise would be a continuous one which is intended to stop the shoddy deals marketers do during ember months that often create artificial scarcity during the period.